Gumbo is much more than soup, and this gumbo is special enough for a Sunday dinner, even if you’re having guests. Shrimp, crab, and oysters come together in a thick, rich, spicy base. It will take patience, especially if you’ve never made roux (a flour-fat base for soup or sauce), but it’s worth it. Unlike the usual lard-based Cajun roux, this one uses vegetable oil, which you’re more likely to have on hand. It’s from the Fuquay Mineral Spring Inn and Garden Bed & Breakfast in Wake County, North Carolina, a designated landmark convenient to Raleigh and Chapel Hill.

Seafood Gumbo

2014-10-08 15:56:31

Serves 6

A delicious and hearty one pot dish.

Print

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

2 hr 15 min

Total Time

2 hr 30 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

2 hr 15 min

Total Time

2 hr 30 min

Ingredients

¾ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup bleached all-purpose flour

2 cups chopped yellow onions

1 cup chopped green bell peppers

1 cup chopped celery

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp cayenne

5 bay leaves

8 cups water

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

2 doz oyster, shucked with their liquor

2 tbsp chopped green onions or scallion (green part only)

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

1. Combine the oil and flour in a large cast iron or enameled cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat.

2. Stirring slowly and constantly, make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate, 20-25 minutes.